The Sorrows of Young Werther

In these three letters, Werther describes the picturesque charm of his new rural home. He attributes the property’s natural beauty to the gardening skills of its former owner. He is captivated by the landscape, especially the trees, yet finds the divine in the very blades of grass. The May 12 letter describes his discovery of a spring. He spends time there every day, enjoying the presence of local girls fetching water. The May 13 letter is a response to his friend’s offer to send books. He states his desire to be free from distractions; with his natural surroundings he has more than enough stimulation, and he can calm himself with the volumes of Homer he has in his possession. Werther tells his friend, who has witnessed his unpredictable moods before, that he is again agitated and subject to his emotions’ whims.

Werther reflects on his interactions with the “common people” in his new neighborhood, acknowledging their simpler lives without harboring prejudice. Despite his openness, Werther regrets the barriers that hinder true friendships. He shares an anecdote with Wilhelm about assisting a servant girl in carrying water. In his subsequent letter, Werther laments the lack of more socially elevated company but praises rustic humor and the simpler forms of entertainment his neighbors enjoy. He reminisces about a rapturous connection with an older woman, now dead, with whom he achieved “genius” in conversation. He goes on to recount a more recent encounter with V., a well-educated recent academy graduate seeking elevated conversation, as well as other local characters—most notably, the prince’s steward. The steward, who has invited Werther to visit his home, is a widower with nine children, including an admirable eldest daughter. In the May 22 letter, Werther reflects on the human condition and observes that most people only want to survive. He believes acknowledging this lack of meaning would make them happy, but people tend to ascribe unattainable meaning to their existence, leading to misery. True happiness is embodied by carefree children who find delight in simple pleasures.

In the May 26 letter, Werther first describes the village of Wahlheim, where he has recently taken up residence at the inn. In his description of the town, he notes the two linden trees in front of the church, surrounded by peasants’ cottages and barns, creating a secluded and peaceful atmosphere. He begins sketching the scenes he finds most charming, including two young boys whom he found sitting under the linden trees. In the following letter, Werther continues his story about these children and their mother. The father of the family traveled to Switzerland to claim an inheritance, leaving his wife—a schoolmaster’s daughter—and children behind. He gives them a bit of financial existence, but largely describes them to Wilhelm as examples of simpler, more innocent lives.

The May 30 letter describes Werther’s first meeting with the farmer lad, who is repairing a plow. In their conversation, the farmer lad reveals that he is in love with his employer, a widow older than him who does not wish to remarry. Still, he remains devoted to her. Werther writes that cannot wait to meet her, then immediately changes his mind: He will not meet her, the better to preserve her idealized image.

Werther’s June 16 letter—the longest in the novel so far—describes his first meeting with Lotte and his subsequent infatuation with her. At the beginning of the letter, Werther struggles to describe her and notes that common terms like “angel” are at best “fearful twaddle” when it comes to the task. It is only after Werther briefly abandons his letter and goes to see Lotte again that he can focus his mind. The occasion of their meeting is a country ball; Werther is attending with an “insignificant girl” and her aunt, and they stop at the steward’s home to pick up Lotte on the way. Even before they arrive, the aunt cautions Werther not to fall in love with her because she is engaged, a warning that Werther duly reports to Wilhelm. As a storm lurks on the horizon, Werther approaches the house and sees Lotte for the first time. In her simple but elegant party dress—white, with pink ribbons—she is engaged in cutting slices of bread for her younger siblings’ supper. The “charming scene” immediately affects Werther, who has already demonstrated his weakness for the picturesque. He is particularly moved by the clear affection between Lotte and her siblings, and by the fact that Lotte introduces him to one of them as a cousin, even though they have all just met.

In the carriage, Werther and Lotte discuss literature. Werther is delighted to hear that Lotte no longer reads many novels; all in all, her taste is unobjectionable and strikingly similar to his in its preference for depictions of domestic life and happiness. She also says that she enjoys dancing and sometimes plays a country song on her piano to soothe her emotions. By the end of the carriage ride, Werther is infatuated with her. The emotion only increases at the ball itself, where Werther marvels at the way Lotte dances as though “her whole heart and soul are in it” (40). They waltz together, and Werther is further entranced. During an English country dance, another woman gives Lotte a significant glance and mentions the name Albert; Lotte immediately tells Werther that this is the name of her fiancé. Although he already knew she was engaged, the news disorients him to the point of colliding with another couple.

The thunderstorm arrives in full force before the dance ends, and the guests move to a safer room. To lighten the mood, Lotte suggests they all play a game. The storm eventually subsides, and Werther and Lotte find themselves alone together. She confesses she was afraid of the storm and suggested the game as a distraction. Gazing at the natural scene once the storm has passed, Lotte can only name the poet Klopstock. Werther, overwhelmed by their shared sensibility, kisses her hand.

In the much shorter June 19 letter, Werther narrates the events immediately after the ball. Although the rest of their companions fall asleep in the carriage, he and Lotte stay awake, taking in the scenery, until they arrive at her home. She agrees to allow him to see her later that day. Since that experience, Werther can think of nothing else.